31 Intentional Acts Of Kindness

For awhile on Twitter, I was posting an intentional act of kindness someone could do everyday. These were simple and small ideas- nothing extravagant or extra fancy. They didn’t require crafting or a special trip to the store. They were simply things someone could do to make the world a better place for those around them.

Since the holidays are on their way, I thought it would be fun to post all of my ideas for intentional acts of kindness in one place. I will be working through these leading up to Thanksgiving. But you could start and stop them at any time. You could pick one to do once a week. There is no pressure here. These are meant to be fun. If at any time doing them feels like a chore then I’d encourage you to check the state of your heart.

31 Intentional Acts Of Kindness

1. Hold the door open for someone.
2. Pay for the drive thru order of someone behind you. (Malone’s absolute favorite one in the entire world.)
3. Send snail mail to a friend.
4. Call your parents.
5. Bring a treat to a friend.
6. Send an I love you text to someone you care about.
7. Instead of wishing someone happy birthday on Facebook, call them and tell them how much they mean to you.
8. Leave change in an envelope for someone at the vending machine.
9. Return someone else’s cart at the grocery store
10. Visit your neighbor. (My favorite. We do not bake anything in this house without a piece or two making their way to the neighbor’s house)
11. Leave a thank you note for your mailman.
12. Hide a note of encouragement in a library book.
13. Take old blankets, towels, and sheets to the animal shelter.
14. Tell your child how special and loved they are.
15. Be a friendly driver.
16. Bring a meal to someone who needs it.
17. Leave a coupon next to the item it is for in the grocery store.
18. Call and check on someone you know lives alone.
19. Tell someone they’re doing a great job!
20. Pay for the toll of the person behind you.
21. Call a homeless shelter. Ask what they need. Bring it.
22. Drink water. Take a hot shower. Go for a walk. Be kind to yourself!
23. Drop a few coins at a playground for a child to find.
24. Walk the talk. Follow through on something you’ve been meaning to do.
25. Offer your expertise to someone who is new in your field.
26. Mail a surprise to a far away friend.
27. Buy a treat for the cashier when you check out.
28. Drop off a new stuffed animal to your fire station. Many fire stations keep a small stash to give to a child in crisis.
29. Leave a “have a happy day” note on the windshield of someone’s car.
30. Hide a note in the lunch box of your spouse or child.
31. Get down to their level and look your child in the eye when they speak to you.

This post was inspired by The 13th Gift by Joanne Huist Smith, memoir about how  random acts of kindness transformed her family’s bereavement and grief during the holidays. Join From Left to Write on October 28th as we discuss The 13th Gift. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.